David Cesaria's Solo Show at Castello Dentice di Frasso Blends Pop and Southern Italian Festive Traditions

David Cesaria (born 1976 in Mesagne) presents a solo exhibition at Castello Dentice di Frasso in Carovigno, near Brindisi, in the region of Puglia. The show is set within an ancient noble residence accessed through a large lush garden. Cesaria's work engages with the imagery of southern Italian popular festivals, characterized by elaborate light displays and ephemeral decorations that adorn urban landscapes, squares, and church facades during patron saint celebrations. The artist employs a pop visual language, evident in textual elements within the works, large sensual lips, and everyday objects reassembled with light bulbs used by major builders of festive illuminations. This approach is part of a broader pluralistic language adopted by various artists, including Flavio Favelli and Marinella Senatore, who used similar lights for Dior's grand parade in Lecce. The precursor in Puglia and elsewhere is Franco Dellerba, active since the 1970s, but with a revisited anthropological perspective. Cesaria's exhibition reaffirms the vitality of this genre of sculpture, awaiting a comprehensive survey show on the theme. The exhibition was reviewed by Lorenzo Madaro, curator and professor of contemporary art history at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts in Milan since November 2, 2022.